Earlier this year, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) introduced organizational accounts, enabling companies and their legal representatives to collaborate on FY 2025 H-1B electronic registration and the online filing of Form I-129 for H-1B petitions, along with the associated Form I-907.
The goal is to transition the entire H-1B process—from registration to the final decision and transmission to the USCIS — into a fully electronic system. Presently, there is no established protocol for the simultaneous online submission of I-539 and I-765 petitions alongside an H-1B petition.
The online platform for organizational accounts will be available in mid-February, 2024, while H-1B online registration is set to open in early March.
On January 23rd and January 24th, USCIS held nationwide sessions to elaborate on how these organizational accounts will function, and how they anticipate streamlining the digital handshake process.
Companies will have the capability to establish Company Groups with designated administrators and members. While companies can create multiple Company Groups, collaboration between different groups is restricted, and employees can only belong to one group concurrently. It’s crucial to highlight that once created, Company Groups cannot be deleted or merged, and the administrator designation remains immutable. There is no imposed limit on the number of company groups or individuals within a group, and multiple administrators can be assigned to a Company Group. Administrators in these Company Groups are also authorized to sign and pay for petitions.
Legal Teams operate in a similar fashion, consisting of one attorney or accredited legal representative and paralegal(s), with the flexibility to collaborate with multiple Company Groups. Company Groups, in turn, have the flexibility to collaborate with multiple Legal Teams. Subject to approval from administrators within Company Groups, a legal representative can sign and submit H-1B petitions, provided they have been reviewed and signed by the authorized signatory for the respective company. Legal representatives also possess the capability to pay for petitions and notify multiple company administrators once a petition is filed.
The roles and permissions for administrators, members, and legal representatives within the organizational accounts are outlined as follows:
It is crucial for clients to start planning for these changes as soon as possible.
As we await further updates from USCIS, we assure you that we will promptly share additional details upon receipt. Please note that USCIS will be organizing additional Tech Talks in February and March to further elaborate on how these organizational accounts will function.
We eagerly anticipate a collaborative engagement in the upcoming months on FY 2025 H-1B Cap petitions and I-129 H-1B petitions alike.
Our unwavering dedication to diligently serve our clients and contribute to the enduring success of your organizations preservers, especially in these evolving times.
We truly value our partnership.
Thank you!
Written by Taleen Khleifat.
